Walk On Water Or Drown
by hey-torch
Summary: “Jamie’s coming with me Haley.” she seethed. “Now I didn’t plan on killing you…” “Too bad.” she spoke to this psychotic woman who continued to threaten her family, “Because that’s the only way you’ll ever get near him again.”


**A/N: This is just a one shot (a long one at that) that came to my mind last week. Fun fact, when I went to start writing it I actually found a story I started writing about a year ago that got lost amongst my busyness. So I'm going to be putting that up here soon too. Keep a look out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of it's characters and make no claim otherwise by writing this. . . . It's all in good fun. **

* * *

"_The pieces left that love has changed just saved everything."_

_-'Walk On Water Or Drown'_

_Mayday Parade_

* * *

The car sat, heavy and still, parked next to the curb. Inside, in the driver's seat, she sat as she'd been for over an hour now. Yet she wasn't bored or frustrated with having to wait. She was as patient and calm as ever, passing time by drumming on the steering wheel along to the radio and letting her mind drift with happy thoughts of the future. Though careful not to get too distracted as she kept her eyes out the tinted window the entire time. It was easy to wait. And there was no doubt in her mind what it was that made it so easy.

Jamie.

Loving him. Knowing she'd be seeing him soon; so very soon. She knew he was waiting for her as well.

Her hands stopped moving when she finally saw the car. That's the one. The one she'd been waiting for; her white whale, as it were. She watched it drive right by, paying no attention to the black parked vehicle, heading the next eight blocks up to the house. This was going to be perfect.

She waited a few minutes more, giving the other car plenty of time to get there before she brought the engine to life and followed in the same direction. First, driving by the house, she wanted to make sure she got a good look at them without inspiring any suspicion just yet. She saw as she passed, the woman holding the door open, allowing the boy to enter first. She smiled to herself as she looked ahead for the driveway she would use to turn around.

"Not much longer at all," she spoke to herself. "then I'll be your mommy."

_0000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

"Can I play outside Momma?" he asked excitedly following her as she put the groceries on the counter.

"I don't think so buddy." Haley answered her hopeful son. "It'll be dark soon."

"Please Momma?" he begged. "Just five minutes? I wanna practice shooting to show Daddy!"

"Sorry Jim-Jam, sun will be gone in five minutes. You can practice tomorrow." she denied the pleading child once more. Seeing his face fall, she sighed and knelt down to level as much as possible with his pouting face. "Hey." taking his hands in hers. "Have you done anything with that art stuff that Peyton got you yet?"

"Not yet."

"No? Why not?" she asked, the boy just shrugged.

"I don't know what I want to make."

"How about you go make me a nice picture of you and me and Daddy while I make dinner? Then maybe, _maybe_, when Daddy gets home we'll turn on the lights and all go outside together?"

"Ok, Momma." his smile revealing his dimples.

"Ok." kissing his cheek. "Now go on. Make a masterpiece." patting his butt, sending him off. Calling after him as he started up the stairs: "Don't make a mess."

She put the water on the stove to boil and got started on chopping the vegetables for the salad. Casting her eyes towards the sliding glass door, she noticed that there was , in fact, a blackened sky. Popping a sliced cucumber piece into her mouth, she took the steps from the island to stand in front of the door, looking out into the backyard. Marveling at everything she never dreamed of having; looking at the small child's play hoop that Lucas had bought for her son. So thankful for everything, especially after what this last year had put them all through. Between Nathan's recovery and the fact that she still couldn't help but be nervous whenever Jaime wasn't in direct sight…not to mention she'd forever remember what it felt like holding her drenched, unmoving child on the concrete, praying for breath and movement.

Hearing the seared sound of water evaporating against the stovetop, she turned quickly, hurrying over to the pot as the liquid boiled over and down the pot. She turned dial down, she must've been standing there loner than she thought, watching the water calm to a more manageable bubble.

"Good job, Haley." she criticized herself out loud.

"What's for dinner?" a voice asked, causing Haley to gasp in surprise and spin around to see it's owner. "Hi, Haley."

"How did you get in here?" she asked angrily.

"Front door, silly." she answered. "You should lock your door, we don't exactly live in the safest times you know."

"Get the hell out of my house."

"No need to be rude." Carrie replied. "I'll go as soon as I get what I came for."

"Well if it's a reference, you've wasted your time." Haley keeping up a front, the sickness in her stomach telling her what the woman thought she'd be leaving with.

"Where's Jamie." she asked, ignoring the remark.

"You're not going near Jamie ever again." she snapped. "He's at his uncle's anyway. So you really did waste your crazy coming here."

Carrie chuckled humorlessly, stepping to the edge of the island counter, looking directly across at Haley.

"Let's not play games." she said. "I saw you come in. He's in that blue shirt with the striped sleeves." pausing, watching the other woman's face harden. She lowered her head a bit and said in a dangerous tone: "Just tell me where he is."

"He's playing in the back." she lied again, having left the lights on, it would be believable until she tried looking for him. "So leave before he sees you and gets scared."

Haley moved quickly in front of the woman when she made to step towards the door that would lead her out there. Doing all she could think of to sell the lie and keep her away from Jamie. She spared a glance towards the clock, time check - 7:25, Nathan said he'd be home around eight. Maybe she could keep her convinced and in her sight until he got home.

"Why would he be afraid of me?" Carrie added. "He loves me. I'm his mother."

This burned Haley to no end, this woman was seriously certifiable. Crazy or not, Haley couldn't stand to hear her make such a claim. Without thinking, she closed the gap between them and slapped her hard across the face. The taller woman answered, shoving Haley backward with great force, her back hitting the glass of the sliding door. Then capitalizing, she Carrie grabbed her hair and used it as leverage to send her to the floor.

Landing face down, Haley pushed herself up from her stomach and cast her eyes upward while her back was to her intruder, praying Jamie stayed upstairs and stayed quiet.

"I told you," Carrie spoke looking down at her, "don't try to play games with me. You'll embarrass yourself."

Carrie turned to go out the glass door where she thought she'd find Jamie. While doing so, Haley took the opportunity to grab her phone off the counter and dialed.

"911 Emergency."

"I need the police. There's -" she hissed her words away, her head being pulled back by the roots of her hair. Carrie ripped the phone from her with her free hand and threw it against the wall where it broke on impact.

"Don't do that." she stated, holding tight the fistful of chocolate hair. Then in a voice void of any teasing or lightness : "Where is he?" she pulled harder.

Clenching her jaw, she frantically searched the visibility available with her head tipped back. From the corner of her eye, where the tear fell, she was able to see the handle of the knife she'd been using in dinner preparation. Maneuvering as best she could, she managed to throw an elbow into the woman, who then let go, and all but fell towards the counter, coming away with the blade.

Holding it threateningly in her direction, breathing heavy with her hair a mess: "I said stay the hell away from my son!"

Haley wasn't an advocate for violence and certainly never put it within her reach to do any serious harm to another person. But that was before she had a child. Before this bitch tried to steal him. Now there was no limit to what she'd do when it came to protecting her son.

In the next moment, her heart stopped, when from the top of the stairs came what she'd been dreading.

"Momma!" Jamie called from the top step. Haley's eyes widened with fear as she watched Carrie's light up with a sick joy. "I'm done."

"Jamie stay upstairs!" Haley quickly shouted, another couple of fearful tears slip down her face.

"But I wanna show you."

"Jamie do as I say!" she screamed in a panic hearing his footsteps on the floor one level up.

Holding eyes with the former nanny for she didn't know how long, the next thing she knew, she was running. Racing Carrie to the staircase. Somehow getting there first, positioning herself one foot on the fifth, one on the fourth step, still holding the sharp ended blade in the woman's direction. Carrie stood on the first and second, watching her. As if trying to stare her down or dare her to try something. _'You'll only embarrass yourself'_ that's what she'd said.

"Jamie." Carrie called out sweetly from her place. "Jamie, honey, it's Nanny Carrie."

"Shut up!" Haley demanded, the knife shaking in her hand as she feared the worst.

"Come on out Jamie, so I can see how big you've gotten." the whole time she spoke, a smile on her face, keeping her eerily calm eyes directly at Haley's terrified ones.

"Jamie don't listen." Haley called desperately. "Stay in your room baby."

But despite her fearful words, the curious boy emerged from his room.. "Nanny Carrie?" they heard him ask without seeing him. "Momma, why's she here?"

"Jamie," Haley spoke cutting off Carrie before she could start to speak. "Momma's taking care of it. Don't come out here."

Still glaring down at Carrie, wondering what time it was. How soon until Nathan would be there or the police. Yeah, she didn't give them the address but they had ways right? Computers and cell phone tracking and all sorts of technology for emergencies that could tell them where the call came from. She was pretty sure of it. Could she keep this would-be kidnapper at a stalemate until then?

"Hi Handsome." Carrie spoke, looking past Haley. Haley turned her head around and sure enough saw her five year old at the top of the stairs taking in , with confusion, the scene before him.

"Momma?" he asked confused.

"James Lucas Scott in your room now!" she shouted like she'd never at him before. Fear dripping from every panicked word. She saw her own fear reflected on his face, yet he didn't move. Frozen in that fear. "Now!"

Then she felt the hand on her ankles and then a brief moment of falling before landing backward on the steps. Her head exploded with a burst of white as it hit. The knife forgotten from her grip.

"Momma!" he shouted now, she could almost hear tears in his voice.

Her attacker began climbing over her, attempting to scramble up to the object of her obsession. Haley immediately - and more than a bit dazed - began doing all she could to stop her. Grabbing almost blindly at her as the woman tried to move over her.

"Jamie hide!" she yelled as she struggled, relieved when she heard his quick footsteps patter away.

"Fighting away Haley's hands, she managed to grab either side of her head and demanded angrily at her face :"Why are you making this so hard?!" not pausing for any sort of answer, she lifted her head enough to slam it back down again on the stair.

Haley saw a flash of white as her head connected harshly with the step below her. Then instantaneously feeling her arms go limp, followed by the release of the other woman's weight as she left her behind to continue her ascent up the stairway. Dizzy and fogged, but determined to die before she let that woman near her son, Haley rolled over and clumsily used the rail to help scramble after the one time caregiver.

Seeing Carrie was just now reaching the top stair, Haley went, again without thinking, flying on instinct her body decided on it's own what to do. Wrapping hold around her waist, she threw her weight backward, her hold and momentum sending the both of them end over end, tumbling and crashing down the stairs.

Coming to a stop at the bottom, her head leaning against the wall, Haley groaned in pain. She touched her left hand to her splitting head, feeling the warm liquid flushing out while her right shoulder screamed fire. Something in there was definitely messed up. More than the aches that would easily be bruises within minutes.

Squeezing her eyes shut briefly, she tried to will the pain away. Telling herself she had to get up and get to Jamie. Trying to move, groaning again as her body achingly opposed. She could do this, if mother's could lift cars off their children, she could certainly get her ass up the stairs. In her attempt to move, she was aware for the first time, of the weight on her legs. A quick intake of breath as she let her eyes fall onto the intruder that started all of this, the reason for so much pain - emotional as well as current physical - lying awkwardly atop her legs and lap.

Her fear faded, realizing the woman was unconscious. She didn't take time to gage her injuries, only making brief note of the red on her face, she grit her teeth and forced the dead weight from her body with a pained effort, letting it slide the final steps past her.

"Oh God." she whispered, tears flowed as she touched her left hand to the right shoulder just barely before pulling away again with a pained cry.

Forcing herself up, she carefully, yet as quickly as her body would allow, made her way up the seemingly endless staircase. Looking back, paranoid of Carrie coming around and being in a better physical standing than herself. But finally, painfully, she made it to the top.

Her right arm tucked close at her side, leaning her uninjured side against the wall, she began to make her way down the hall. Coming to the doorway of Jamie's room, she stopped. Leaning on the doorframe, she looked inside. For some reason, she had the quick thought that she was going to have to clean all the blood off of it and everything else she touched.

"Jamie." she spoke into the room, her voice heavy with pain and exhaustion, sounded foreign to her own ears.

_0000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

The boy hid, holding his knees to his chest in the dark, trying to make himself as small as possible. He didn't know what was happening, but he was really scared. He didn't know why Nanny Carrie was there, but he didn't want her to be. She made Momma and Daddy fight. And now Momma yelled at him worse than she yelled at Daddy when he was sad all the time. She sounded scared. And that scared him more. And then he'd heard a loud noise from the stairs and that scared him even more.

So he hid now in the closet in his parents' room, feeling his tears slide down his cheeks. He froze, holding his breath, hearing footsteps coming closer. He hid his face now, in his knees, and tightened up in fear. He heard the door open and felt himself cry even more. He wished Daddy had been home to help Momma get rid of Nanny Carrie. Then they could have eaten dinner and gone outside to play. The footsteps came further into the room, slowly and closed his eyes and clenched his arms around his knees, determined to make himself into the tiniest ball of a person so he wouldn't be found.

"Jamie." the voice had him raise his head. He peeked between the double doors of the closet, seeing enough to know.

"Momma?" he spoke quietly, from his hiding place, the fear in his young voice. He opened the door wider and stopped before completely exiting. His eyes wide, he took in his mother's appearance. "Are you ok?"

Moving towards him, she hated him seeing her like that. A bruised, bloodied, broken mess of a mess. But she managed a smile, genuine despite the circumstance, and gingerly lowered herself to her knees.

"Yeah, baby." she answered his question. "I'm fine. What about you?" she asked, using her good arm to hug him close to her as tight as she could. "Are you alright?"

"I was scared." he replied honestly, hugging her back, his tiny arm squeezing tight and adding agony to her aches but she didn't care.

She glanced out the bedroom window behind him, hearing a siren, she could see the flash of red and blue as a patrol car came to a stop. Relief again, she closed her eyes and indulged in holding her son.

"Momma!" Jamie shouted with a gasp. She released her son from the embrace and turned around. Carrie, breathing heavy, limping her way towards them until she was leaning against the doorframe. Haley got herself to her feet, keeping the boy behind her.

"Jamie." she spoke to the child breathlessly. "Jamie honey, time to go."

The doorbell rang. Carrie looked behind her confused, wondering who it was when Haley spoke up :"That's the police." she informed. "Game over, bitch."

"Jamie." Carrie spoke again turning back towards the room. "Come on."

"I don't want to go with you!" he shouted, peeking out from behind his mother. "I don't like you! You made me scared!"

The doorbell again, then knocking. Haley pushed her son back behind her, waiting for the officer to break down the door. Or Nathan should be home soon, he could let them in. Either way, reinforcements were only a breath away.

"Jamie." she stated firmly, standing straight, brandishing, for the first time, the knife in her hand. Making sure it was seen by the woman who'd dropped it. "I'm not joking. Now come on!"

"I told you never to come near my son…and I meant it." she felt Jamie release his hold on her leg as he went the few steps to the window behind them.

"Momma!" he spoke, "Momma, Daddy's home." he worked his little hands to life the window the small amount he could manage and shouted out. "Daddy!"

Carrie was now full-on panicked, desperate and royally pissed off. This was not how it was supposed to happen. This was not how it was going to happen!

"Jamie's coming with me Haley." she seethed. "Now I didn't plan on killing you…"

"Too bad." she spoke to this psychotic woman who continued to threaten her family, "Because that's the only way you'll ever get near him again."

"Fine with me."

_000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

His heart pounded furiously against his chest as he pulled up to see the flashing lights in his driveway. Panic filled his veins as he ran from the car. Not bothering to turn close the door or even turn it off. He ran full speed up the grass towards the door where he saw a uniformed policeman.

"Daddy!"

He looked up, hearing his son's voice, planting his feet to come to an immediate halt. He squinted, seeing the outline of the boy at his bedroom window. Trying to see a clearer picture, but was unable to see much more than shadows.

"Jamie!" he shouted back, right as the officer approached him.

"Sir." he greeted. "Is this your house?"

"Yes, what's going on?" he asked quickly,

"We received a 911 call from this residence." he stated.

"911...?" he repeated trailing off. "My, My wife and son are home." he said worriedly, moving to run past the man.

"Sir," the officer stopped him "I can't let you into a potentially dangerous situation. But if you give me access I can see what's going on?"

Nathan was furious at this man in front of him. Wondering why he wanted him to let him in. If it was 'potentially dangerous' they should be breaking down the door to see what's going on. Before he could angrily comply with the ridiculous request, both men looked up, hearing the shatter of glass breaking, to see a body cutting through the air. Turning head over feet, Nathan felt his heart rise into the back of his throat at the sight.

The body landed with a disgusting whack at the top of the driveway. Sprinting though his feet felt like lead, he ignored the officer telling him to stay back. Making the fearful journey in the direction. Screaming his wife's name as he ran. Falling next to the broken body, the blood already pooling around it, he looked at the woman and couldn't believe his eyes.

"Carrie?" confused yet relieved, she was the last person he ever expected to see again.

Shaking away the shock he got up and returned to his sprint. Throwing his shoulder into the front door rather than stopping to open it. The wood splintered open and he ran without breaking stride. Wild eyes not missing blood on the staircase and walls, the few broken beams under the railing. Yet he didn't pause, knowing that whatever happened, happened in the bedroom.

"Haley!" he shouted. "Jamie!" At the top of the stairs he looked instantly in the direction of the master bedroom at the end of the hall. The door open, he could see inside and sped up. "Jamie!" Getting the boy's attention.

"Daddy!" he ran from the room towards him, opening his arms to invite his father to scoop him up with ease. Hugging the boy tightly, feeling the tiny arms clasp around his neck.

"Are you alright?" he asked him, still panicked, stroking the boys back. He pulled him away, just far enough that he could get a good look at him. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?" moving his small body checking for damage, then pulling him close again when not finding any.

"I'm ok Daddy." he answered.

"Yeah?" nearly in tears.

"Yeah." he assured. "Momma needs some Band-Aids."

"Band-Aids?" he repeated quietly, putting the boy down and running the rest of the way to the bedroom. Finding his wife on the floor, pulling at the comforter in what appeared to be an attempt to lift herself up. "Haley." he called at the sight in a panic, running to her side.

She jerked at his touch and shouted in surprise; the both of them getting a good scare. He instantly started speaking to her. "It's ok. Baby, it's me."

"Nathan?" she questioned, trying to sharpen her blurred sight as she turned to her husband's face. "You're home."

"Shit." he whispered, the turn of her head revealing the deep red pouring down the side of her face. His nerves and emotions having been everywhere and back again in the last minute and a half. "Jesus, Haley. What happened? Are you ok?" Feeling how stupid the question was since he had working eyes and could see she wasn't.

"I'm fine." she answered, feeling his strong hands on her face, turning her head for further inspection.

"I'm going to, um," he thought out loud, "let's get you off the floor." he suggested. Slipping his arm carefully under her legs and the other around her torso. He lifted her, feeling the sting in his back as he did so, he froze at the pained sound she made. "What is it?" Setting her down carefully on the bed.

Then, turning as he heard footsteps enter the room. Not the light quick ones of the child. He saw the policeman enter and take in the sight.

"We've got an ambulance and another squad car on the way." he stated to the man, looking from him to the woman. Speaking next to her. "We'll get you some medical attention but then I'm going to need to know exactly what went on here."

"That's fine." Nathan answered for her.

"I was talking to-"

"It's fine." Nathan interrupted frustrated with this man. Once the man's steps thumped away from them he turned back to his wife.

"Jamie?" she asked fearfully. "Where's Jamie?"

"He's fine." he assured her, looking behind him to see the boy waiting in the hallway, peering into the room.

"Nathan…" she started, feeling herself focus back to realty even more. "Nathan, it's Carrie. She's back. She tri-tried to take him."

"I saw her." he nodded, holding her hand.

"You…what?"

"I was in the yard when she…" he cleared his throat, remembering what he saw. He may hate the woman, but that's not something he ever wanted to see, let alone hear. "I, uh, I thought she was you." he confessed. "Hales I was so scared."

"I'm so sorry, Nathan." she stated, "but she wanted to take him and I, we fought and it just happened. I didn't mean…"

"It's ok." he told her, "You did what you had to do. You were protecting our son. So when you can, tell the police everything that happened. It's all going to be ok. Believe me?"

"Always." she offered a small smile, to which he returned one of his own.

He leaned in to kiss her, lips connecting for only a few seconds before men entered with a back board and instructions for him to step away.

She felt the straps holding her in place on the gurney as it rolled down the driveway. She felt every shake and rattle it made during the journey. Heard the click and saw the flash of the cameras taking photos in her driveway of the "scene". Heard the chatter that went between the EMTs. But mostly, felt Nathan's hand in her own, looking up and seeing him holding their son and walking alongside.

The hand was gone then, as she felt the lift into the back of the vehicle. One of them told Nathan she'd be going to Tree Hill Memorial and he could follow. She looked ahead, saw Jamie wave at her and her husband stating:

"We'll be right behind you. It's going to be ok." he stated. "I love you."

Then Jamie's voice right before the doors closed, "I love you too, Momma!"

Letting his five words float around in her head, she closed her eyes, the tears still finding their way out.

Hearing those five words. That made it all worth it.

She'd pulled a car off her child….and everything was going to be ok.


End file.
